1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to tools and implements used in agriculture, and more specifically to an improved tool for the installation of emitter devices in drip irrigation systems.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Drip irrigation systems, such as those used in agriculture, are well known and in widespread use. Most such drip irrigation systems provide lengths of irrigation hose or pipe, into which a series of nozzle or emitter devices are installed in a spaced pattern to deliver the desired irrigation water at the appropriate points along the length of the pipe. Installation of these emitter devices into the irrigation pipe can, however, be an awkward and time-consuming task. Typically, the installation worker uses a tool such as a hole punch to first cut a hole in the irrigation pipe at a desired location, and then the worker must manually attempt to press the barbed spike of the emitter device into the hole. This process is then repeated at each emitter location along the length of the pipe, which may constitute thousands of emitters. This labor-intensive activity is extremely inefficient.
The tool for installing emitters for drip irrigation of this invention provides an improved tool that enables both the forming of a hole in irrigation pipe, and the placement of an emitter device into that formed hole. The tool includes a pair of elongate plier half-members connected at a pivoting joint, in the traditional manner of a pair of pliers. A first jaw includes an inwardly-directed hole punch member, while the second opposed jaw includes an inwardly-directed concavity of a size to engage at least a portion of the circumference of a piece of irrigation pipe, such that closure of the jaws around the irrigation pipe causes the hole punch to pierce a hole in one wall of the pipe. When used with cylindrical emitters, the jaw ends each include semi-cylindrical cavities sized and adapted to engage the cylindrical body of the emitter device when the jaws are brought together in juxtaposition, with the cylindrical cavity so formed terminating in a circular platen to press against the top surface of the emitter and facilitate forcible insertion of the barbed spike of the emitter into the hole previously formed in the irrigation pipe. These steps are then repeated for all the desired emitter locations along the length of the pipe.